Vinyl aromatic compounds, such as styrene, are used in the manufacture of many polymers. Styrene can be produced in a dehydrogenation process by contacting ethylbenzene and steam with a dehydrogenation catalyst, and ethylbenzene can be formed in an alkylation process by contacting benzene and an alkene with an alkylation catalyst. The dehydrogenation process can be used in conjunction with the alkylation process, where the product stream of ethylbenzene from the alkylation process is used as the input stream for the dehydrogenation process, for example.
Alkylation systems require periodic maintenance, which can include regeneration or replacement of the catalyst utilized in various portions of the alkylation system. Such maintenance causes system disruption and often system shutdown. Therefore, it is desirable to develop processes and systems capable of lengthening periods between maintenance and potentially avoiding system shutdown.